Chapter 3

Kerry could see that James was in trouble. He was stood over in the corner with Alex Stepford and a larger group of boys facing them. Usually, Kerry wouldn't have worried. James could easily beat any of the boys in a fight, but the fact that it was fifteen against two made it a whole lot worse. She considered going over and helping, but it would be a bit out of character.

Chanelle, who was leant against the face next to her, had obviously noticed the confrontation too.

"Hey GG, looks like a fight's brewing, wanna go watch?" Another girl who was standing with them pointed over to the group of boys.

"Kerry, it's your brother. What's he doing with the freak?" Kerry frowned in return,

"I don't know," she muttered. She had been under the impression that James had decided not to make friends with Alex. She spotted the other girls looking at her, waiting for an answer.

She scowled and turned away.

"I don't know and I don't care. He's an idiot. Let him get beat up." Over in the corner a boy had walked up to James and pushed him backwards. Kerry decided that she couldn't just stand around so she looked back at the girls who were starting to head over with the other kids in dribs and drabs.

"Look Chanelle? I'm heading home. I better tell mum that the idiot's got himself into trouble". Chanelle shrugged and ran after her friends.

As soon as they had all gone, Kerry vaulted the playground railing and started sprinting towards the house.

James fell back as Ryan pushed him into the railings. He didn't know what to do. There was a huge gang of kids behind Ryan. All of them on his side. It was him and Alex against the rest of the playground.

"Any ideas?" he muttered to Alex.

Alex was glaring at the group, fists clenched. He glanced at James.

"When I run, follow me," he muttered back. Ryan had obviously heard him.

"You'll never get away from me freaks. You'll get what you deserve". He quickly advanced towards them.

"Time to learn who's boss freaks". He raised his arm to hit Alex. He never got the chance. Alex grabbed Ryan's arm, flicked his ankle around Ryan's and sent him crashing to the floor. As soon as it had happened Alex grabbed James's arm and started running to the playground exit. James followed without argument.

As they weaved through the gates, James looked back to see a group of boys, led by a very pissed off looking Ryan, chasing after them. Alex and James charged down the road. James let Alex lead, trusting his knowledge of the area. They ran into the nearby estate. Alex led James through small alleyways and cut across gardens. He was doing very well to try to stop the others following. James glanced back again; there was still a large group of boys following. He knew he could carry on, but what about Alex?

They cut through someone's front yard, flying past a very bemused looking woman who was hanging out her washing. When she saw the larger group following, she let out a little shriek and ran inside before the tornado struck her.

Suddenly, they turned a corner, and were faced with a solid brick wall ahead. Alex stopped and swore under his breath. He glanced at James.

"You know how to punch?" James nodded in return and with Alex, turned to face the boys who were just coming round the corner. He could see Ryan at the front with a bold grin on his face. James couldn't see how they were going to get out of this in one piece. Alex seemed confident. But there was only so much the two of them could do.

"James!" James was aware of someone shouting his name. But instead of a taunting sneer from the boys ahead, it was a soft, sharp female voice. Coming from behind him and Alex. He turned.

"Kerry!" The wall was about three metres up. A bordering wall to a different estate. Kerry was sat astride it, her arm out.

"James come on you idiot!" Alex had noticed Kerry by now too, as had Ryan and his mates.

"Aww look freaks, it's a girly wirly thinking she can help you. Fat chance. Tell me Garce has your sister always looked after you since you were little, or is it cos you're a freak now?" Kerry looked outraged at having being called a girly wirly and for a moment it seemed as though she was going to jump down and go after Ryan herself, but she merely ignored him and reached her arm out further.

"James, come on!". James wasted no more time he turned and faced Alex.

"You know how to do this?" he asked. Alex nodded, a steely expression on his face.

"You go first". James sighed. In normal circumstances he would've argued for Alex to go before him, but Ryan was advancing again, and at least there would be two people to pull Alex up.

But then James thought of something. The mission was evidently lost. If James were considered an outsider, he'd never be able to connect with the kids again. Plus, the stunt that they were about to pull would probably seem suspicious. Kerry helping him so readily did, especially as James and Kerry had already created the story that they didn't get along.

So he did the first thing that came to his mind. He charged forward and punched Ryan right in the face. As blood spurted from Ryan's face James ran back towards the wall and powered up it, using his feet to propel him up and reaching out for Kerry's waiting hand. She grasped it firmly and helped to pull him up.

As soon as James was sat astride the wall along with Kerry he looked back down to Alex. The group of boys, really angry now. Many of them were advancing quickly.

"Alex!" James called down. Alex glanced up, a small grin forming on his face. Before James could say anything Alex had run forward and smacked Ryan full force again in the face.

Ryan howled in pain and sunk to the floor. Before the other boys could even comprehend what had happened and approach Alex again, he had already mimicked James and leapt up to the top of the wall, aided by Kerry and James.

The three of them glanced down at the angry, swearing boys before dropping down onto the dustbins on the other side of the wall, which Kerry had apparently used to climb up. When they hopped down Kerry helped James to push the dustbins out of the way so it would be harder for the boys to follow.

"What now?" asked Kerry looking at the two boys. Alex was grinning at her.

"That was great," he said "You're well phat GG". Kerry smiled briefly.

"Yeah, but we better get going, sooner or later they're going to work out how to follow, and personally I don't want to be around when they do".

"Ok, let's go home then" said James. Alex shook his head

"No, they know where you live. Come back to my place, they can't follow there. You too GG."

"Thanks" said Kerry briefly as they set off after him.

Alex led them to the edge of Mount estate and down a small public footpath that led to the main road that ran alongside it. They followed him halfway down and stopped outside a large house. It had large black gates with a gravel driveway leading to a double garage. The house was cream with bay windows and a small porch.

"Wow" muttered James "This place is great". Alex smiled as they stepped up onto the porch.

"It's my mum, she's pretty loaded." James thought this sounded a little odd, it sounded like something that could be worth knowing but James didn't press the matter.

Alex led them into a long hallway. The wood gleamed in the sunlight and everything was clean, polished and tidy.

"Come to my room" he said. They headed up the staircase and up into Alex's room.

The first thing that James noticed was that this boy was spoiled. Well, maybe not spoiled, but definitely rich. Alex had two TVs. One on a corner shelf up near the ceiling so it was level with the raised double bed. Another TV sat on a small table, with an X-Box, PS2 and, nearby a PSP was laid down too. A state of the art stereo stood in a corner with an MP4 player on top of it. There was also a skateboard, two pairs of roller skates and over six pairs of trainers.

The scene was familiar to James. This was exactly what his bedroom had looked like before he came to Cherub. Every new thing going, he had had. James's mum had been a thief and James had gotten a share of the spoils. He glanced over to Alex who had thrown himself onto the couch under the bed.

"What you doing on the Mount Estate, if you have all this?" Alex shrugged.

"I don't really use it. I don't really need it. It's my mum. Make yourself at home." James noticed Alex had mentioned his mum again. This was definitely something worth exploring, but he needed to find the right moment. He shot a look at Kerry, about to send her out, but Kerry didn't need the words.

"I'm going to phone mum actually. Better tell her you're ok. I'll go in the bathroom if that's ok?" Alex nodded and waved his hand in the direction of the door.

"Third on the right, or second on the left. Take your pick". Kerry headed out.

She entered the first bathroom she found and locked the door. As she sat down on the toilet seat she pulled out her mobile. Chloe was on speed dial and within a matter of seconds Kerry was talking to her mission controller.

"Hey Chloe"

"Kerry? Are you ok? Where are you?"

"It's fine Chloe, we're at that kid Alex's house".

"Is James with you?"

"Yeah. He's fine"

"Last time I saw you, you were out of breath and looking for a map saying that James was about to get beat up. What happened?"

"There was a chase, I helped James and Alex up a wall and we threw them off. That's why we came here."

"Where is here?" Kerry gave her the address.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"Yeah" replied Kerry "James punched a guy. So did Alex". Chloe made a tutting noise on the other end of the line.

"Why on earth did he do that?"

"Beats me" said Kerry "But that's boys for you". Chloe sighed.

"Oh Chloe. I think we might be onto something with this boy. You see he's loaded and he keeps mentioning his mum whenever we question it. It seems a bit dodgy to me. I think James is talking to him now."

"Ok" said Chloe "Good work. Try to find out as much as possible, but don't press it. You know, the usual. I'll see you later and you can fill me in properly."

"Ok bye Chloe"

"Bye".

Kerry hung up. She decided to give James a little more time so she slipped out of the bathroom and began to explore. The house was big enough so that if she were caught, her claim to be lost would be completely valid.

James wandered over to join Alex on the sofa as Kerry left. He wanted to find a way to get Alex talking about his mum some more.

"I wish I had stuff like this," he said, staring around. Alex didn't respond. He started loading up the PS2.

"Wanna game?"

"Sure". James grabbed a controller and waited for the game to load.

"I don't usually stay round here too much. It gets pretty lonely." Alex grinned to himself after he spoke. "Not that I'm much less lonely there. But I hate the emptiness of this house. It's so hollow." James selected his car and looked across at Alex.

"Are you on you own a lot?"

"Yeah" replied Alex. "Mum's always out with Frank. "Either that or she's-". He stopped abruptly and looked at James, causing his car to go careering into a tree.

"Can I trust you James?" James nodded sincerely.

"Of course. Besides, you really think I'd go back up to Ryan to tell him anything anymore?" Alex stared at James as if considering options.

"I suppose" he said eventually "You did punch him".

Alex paused the game and turned to face James.

"Ok" he sighed, "The reason I have so much stuff, is that my mum's a thief". James just looked intently at Alex. It wasn't a big surprise to him, and in a way it was pretty familiar. Alex continued.

"She does all this bank stuff. I don't get it all really. But that's why she's out a lot. That's why I hate it here. It's tainted." He chucked the controller down to the floor bitterly. James did the same putting his down next to him. "She does local crimes too," continued Alex. "And you know what the worst bit is?" There was a short silence.

"She makes me do it myself".